Hinge



HINGE Filed Nov. 17. 1953 INVENTOR. 559M420 Eqm ATTORNEY HINGE Bernard Fata, Bronx, N. Y.

Application November 17, 1953, Serial No. 392,701

Claims. 01. 16-164) This invention is a hinge of the invisible type, adapted to be secured to the upper and lower edges of a door and to the door casing and floor, to permit pivotal movement of the door back and forth in one direction on a plurality of parallel axes. v

The object of the invention is to provide a hinge of this character which will be simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and easily operable without binding. 7

The hinge of the present invention is of the general type embodying a plurality of links pivotally connected with a movable hinge plate adapted to be secured to the door and a fixed hinge plate to be mounted in stationary position on the floor and door frame or jamb.

Each hinge of the present invention comprises two links of equal length pivotally connected to the fixed and movable hinge plates and adapted to support the door for pivotal movement, while one of said plates carries a pin adapted to coact with a limiting slot associated with the other plate, the purpose of which is to insure proper relation between the door and its jamb.

In the hinge of this invention, all parts, except the pivots, may be economically manufactured from sheet metal by stamping and forming dies in an economical and eflicient manner.

Features of the invention, other than those adverted to, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and appended claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The accompanying drawing illustrates different practical embodiments of the invention, but the constructions therein shown are to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a face view of the door and its jamb with which hinges embodying the present invention are associated.

Fig. 2 shows one of my hinges in perspective with the parts in closed door positions.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts in open door positions.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 with the door in closed position.

Fig. 5 is a like section showing the door in open position.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of an alternate form of hinge embodying features of this invention.

Fig. 7 is a View corresponding to Fig. 2, but showing both hinge plates fiat and without any associated flanges. Referring to the drawing, ll designates a door and 2 the door casing or jamb in which the door is hung by hinges embodying the present invention and one of which is shown best in Figs. 2 and 3. This hinge comprises a movable hinge plate 3 and a fixed hinge plate 4. The hinge plate 3 may be made entirely flat so that when mounted on the upper or lower edge of the door, it will be entirely concealed. This can be accomplished by merely omitting the flange 5 from the plate 3 and placing screw holes, corresponding to the screw holes 6, directly in the plate 3, as shown in Fig. 7. However, I find it de nited States Patent '5 Patented Jan. 15, 1957 sirable in practice to form the plate 3 with a right angular flange 5 which may be secured to one face of the door by means of screws passing through countersunk holes 6. The advantage of the flange is that the attaching screws do not extend into the end grain of the wood from which the door may be made and will consequently hold better than would be the case if they were in the end grain.

The fixed plate 4 is preferably made flat throughout and it is provided with countersunk holes 7 through which attaching screws may be passed into the floor and into the upper horizontal portion of the door jamb. The plates 3 and 4 are adapted to overlie one another in vertically spaced apart parallel planes and are secured together by means of two interposed links 8 and 9. In the showing of Figs. 1-4 of the drawings, these links are of identical length and they are provided at their opposite ends with perforations through which are passed rivets 10 with flat heads, which come flush with the contiguous surfaces of both the links and plates, so that the heads of these rivets will not interfere with the movement of one link over the other.

The links 3 and 9 overlie one another with a washer 8a interposed between the link 3 and the plate 4 and a washer 9a between the link 9 and the plate 3.. These washers are substantially equal to the thickness of the links, so that the links Will operate in parallel planes with the contiguous surfaces of the link in contact with one another. These links thus mount the movable plate for pivotal movement relative to the fixed plate.

In the preferred form of the invention, the pivots are so located that, when the door is in closed position, as shown in Fig. 2, all of the pivots 10 will be in line longitudinally of the plates with the overlapping portions of the links overlying one another in parallel superimposed relation.

When the parts are so constituted, the dooris capable of movement in both directions through the jamb. In one direction, it will swing free, while in the opposite direction, it will improperly engage with the jamb. To preclude the latter operation and insure proper hinge movementof the door, the movable plate 3 i provided with 2. depending pin or lug 11 which is riveted to said plate and is adapted for cooperation with an open ended limiting slot 12 in a stop plate 13 which may be integral with the fixed plate 4, but is preferably secured thereto by means of rivets 14. p 7

So long as the door is in closed position with the links in parallel relation, the slot 12 will limit the movement of the door to the direction in which it will properly open. When the door is moved in thi direction, the pin 11 will leave the slot 12 but not before the links have left their parallel relation and consequently the door will be properly guided and supported from the position shown in Fig. 4 to the open position shown in Fig. 5. In this latter position, the hinge parts are as shown in Fig. 3 with the links crossing one another and the door will be substantially parallel to the face of the wall in which the jamb 2 is mounted.

The door may be closed by simply swinging it from the position shown in Fig. 5 to the position shown in Fig. 4 which brings about a reassumption of the hinge parts into the position shown in Fig. 2. As the door nears its closed position, the pin 11 enters the slot 12 and the parts reassume the relation shown in Fig. 1.

In Fig. 6 I have shown an alternate form of the inven tion wherein the rivet 10a, which connect the fixed and movable plates, are positioned slightly out of line with one another when the door is closed. The structure of Fig. 6 includes the pin 11 and the stop plate 13 with its limiting slot 12 functioning in the manner hereinbefore described.

The hinge of the present invention operates smoothly, noiselessly, and with precision. It may be easily applied to a door without the necessity of mortising the plates into the latter. Furthermore, it will be noted that one end of the fixed plate projects a slight distance beyond the movable plate when they are in overlapping relation. This spacing may conveniently be about ,4 so that, when the plates are assembled on a door and the door is closed, as shown in Fig. 4, with the extending edge of the fixed plate against the jamb of the door, the movable plate will be spaced from the jainb. Consequently, if the fixed plate is attached to the door with the edge of the movable plate flush with the correspond ing edge of the door, that edge of the door will be spaced about from the door jamb which conforms to cabinet makers specifications and gives proper clearance for the operation of the door.

The foregoing detailed description sets forth the invention in its preferred practical form, but the invention is to be understood as fully commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A hinge comprising: fixed and movable plates, the former of which is adapted to be secured to the horizontal jamb or floor of a doorway, while the latter is adapted to overlie the top or bottom edges of the door, a pair of links of equal length one end of each of which is pivoted to the fixed plate, while the other end of each link is pivoted to the movable plate, said pivots being located to position the links in overlapping superimposed relation when the hinge is in door closing position, one of said plates being provided with a limiting slot and the other plate having a stop pin adapted to engage s'aid slot when the plates are in closed relation, one end of the fixed plate projecting beyond the corresponding end of the movable plate to provide operating clearance for the door when the corresponding edges of the plates are positioned at the edge of a door and against the door jarnb.

2. A hinge comprising: fixed and movable plates, the former of which is adapted to be secured to the horizontal jamb or floor of a door way, while the latter is adapted to overlie the top or bottom edges of the door, a pair of links of equal length one end of each of which is pivoted to the fixed plate, while the other end of each link is pivoted to the movable plate, said pivots being 1oto engage said slot when the plates are in closed door relation.

3. A hingecomprising: fixed-and movable plates adapted to be respectively mounted on contiguous horizontal surfaces of a doorway and the door thereof, two links of the same length pivotally securing said plates to one another for relative pivotal edgewise movement while maintaining said plates at all times in parallel planes, one of said plates having a fixed limiting slot and the other plate having a stop pin movable into and out of said slot as the associated door is closed and opened.

4. A hinge according to claim 3, wherein the opposite ends of the links are respectively pivoted to the respective plates at like distances apart with the links overlying one another when the plates are in closed door relation and crossing one another when the plates are in open door position.

5. A hinge comprising: fixed and movable hinge plates the former of which is adapted to be secured to the horizontal surface of the jamb or floor of a doorway while the latter is adapted to be secured to the parallel contiguous horizontal. edge of the door in said doorway, whereby said plates are at all times in horizontal planes parallel to one another, a pair of links of equal length one end of each of which is secured directly to one plate for pivotal movement on an axis normal to said plate. while the other end of each link is secured directly to the other plate for pivotal movement on an axis normal to the latter plate, said pivots being located to position the links in overlapping superimposed relation when the plates themselves are in superimposed overlapping relation corresponding to closed door position, one of said plates being provided with a limiting slot and the other plate having a stop adapted to enter said slot when the movable hinge plate moves into closed door position and to leave said slot when the movable plate moves into open door position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,478 Homan Dec. 27, 1949 

